District of Columbia DC DMV Permit Practice Test 25
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
-
1. A sign on a long downgrade points to a runaway vehicle ramp. What is that ramp for?
Show answer
Answer C: Trucks that have lost braking ability on the grade
A runaway ramp is an escape lane of loose material that stops a heavy vehicle whose brakes have overheated or failed, so it must always be left clear.
-
2. How is the yield sign shaped and colored?
Show answer
Answer C: A downward-pointing triangle with a wide red border and a red legend on white
The yield sign is a downward-pointing equilateral triangle with a wide red border and the legend in red on a white background, an outline used for no other message.
-
3. What does a marked crosswalk tell a driver approaching a corner?
Show answer
Answer D: Where pedestrians are expected to cross and must be given way
Crosswalk markings show pedestrians where to cross and warn drivers to yield to anyone using the crossing.
-
4. How much moving water is generally enough to float and carry away most passenger vehicles?
Show answer
Answer D: About one foot
About a foot of moving water will float most cars, and even less will stall an engine. That is why the rule is to turn around instead of judging the depth.
-
5. Another driver cuts you off and you feel your temper rising. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Take a breath, drop back and let it go, because the whole trip matters more
Retaliation turns a moment of bad driving into a crash, and dropping back costs you only a few seconds.
-
6. A yellow diamond shows an arrow bent into a series of reversing turns. What does it warn about?
Show answer
Answer A: Three or more changes of direction close together
The winding road sign replaces a string of separate curve signs where several bends follow one another with only short straights between them.
-
7. On a long, straight highway you feel your attention fading. What helps you stay alert?
Show answer
Answer A: Keep your eyes moving, scan mirrors and signs, and take regular breaks
Staring at one point brings on highway hypnosis. Active scanning keeps the mind engaged, and a break every couple of hours restores alertness.
-
8. Your parking brake no longer holds the car on a slope. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer D: Have it repaired, and until then park only on level ground
A parking brake that will not hold is a defect to be fixed; avoiding grades in the meantime keeps the vehicle from rolling away.
-
9. Why is this restriction so common beside fire hydrants, crosswalks and intersection corners?
Show answer
Answer C: To keep sight lines open and leave access for emergency crews
A vehicle left in those places hides pedestrians from approaching drivers, blocks the path of turning vehicles and can keep firefighters from reaching a hydrant.
-
10. The divided highway ends warning sign means that
Show answer
Answer D: the median separating the directions ends and the road returns to two-way operation
Beyond this sign opposing traffic is no longer separated by a median, so the driver must keep right and expect vehicles approaching in the adjacent lane.
-
11. You have begun to move into the next lane when the gap you were aiming for closes. What is the safest action?
Show answer
Answer C: Return to your own lane, cancel the signal and wait for a better gap
An unfinished lane change leaves you in a space that no longer exists, and the lane you came from is still yours.
-
12. What is the minimum property damage liability coverage required in the District of Columbia?
Show answer
Answer B: 10,000 dollars
DC requires at least 10,000 dollars of property damage liability coverage for any one accident.
-
13. A yellow lamp flashes above a warning sign at a sharp curve. What does it ask of a driver?
Show answer
Answer D: Slow down and pass the point with extra care
A warning beacon draws attention to the sign it is mounted with, and the message of the sign is what the driver must act on.
-
14. You brake hard on a wet road and need to steer around a stalled car. How do antilock brakes help you do that?
Show answer
Answer B: They stop the wheels locking, so the tires can still turn the vehicle
Locked wheels slide and cannot change direction. By preventing lockup the system lets you brake at full force and steer at the same time.
-
15. On a rural road, the driver of a slow farm tractor ahead of you signals a left turn even though there is no road or driveway in sight. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Stay behind the tractor, because it may be turning into a field entrance
Farm equipment often turns into fields through gaps you cannot see, and it may swing wide to do so. Passing a vehicle that is signaling a left turn is a common cause of crashes.
-
16. Your light turns green, but a vehicle is still in the middle of the intersection. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer D: Wait until the intersection is clear before you move ahead
A green light means go only when the way is clear. Drivers already inside the intersection must be allowed to finish crossing.
-
17. You are descending a long steep grade with a loaded truck close behind you. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Hold a steady speed and let it pass when it can
Gravity pushes a loaded truck downhill and it cannot slow quickly, so give it a predictable speed and room to get by rather than braking in front of it.
-
18. An officer directing traffic faces you and holds one hand up with the open palm toward your vehicle. What does the gesture mean?
Show answer
Answer D: Stop before reaching the officer
A raised open palm shown toward a driver is the standard signal to stop.
-
19. A sign warns that your exit leaves from the left side of the freeway. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer D: Move into the left lane in good time before you reach the exit
Left-hand exits are unusual, which is exactly why they are signed well in advance and why the lane changes should be finished early.
-
20. Traffic is heavy and a truck is stopped in the lane on your right. How do you keep an out?
Show answer
Answer B: Keep space open ahead of you and avoid being boxed in on both sides at once
Being hemmed in on both sides with no gap ahead removes every option, so keep at least one direction open.
-
21. A yellow pennant-shaped sign is posted on the left side of a two-lane road facing you. What is it telling you?
Show answer
Answer B: You are entering a no-passing zone and may not start a pass
The pennant is placed on the left so that it faces the driver who might pull out, and it marks the beginning of a no-passing zone.
-
22. Your tires drop into deep slush that has built up between the travel lanes. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Ease off the accelerator and grip the wheel, since slush tugs the vehicle
Slush grabs at the tires and can pull the vehicle sideways. Reduce power gently, hold the wheel firmly and avoid sudden steering or braking.
-
23. After completing a turn you notice your signal is still flashing. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer A: Switch it off at once, before other drivers act on it
A signal left on after a turn is a false message, and drivers waiting to pull out may move into your path because of it.
-
24. At what speed above the limit does DC law treat driving as aggravated reckless driving on that ground alone?
Show answer
Answer A: 30 mph or more above the limit
Driving 30 mph or more above the speed limit is aggravated reckless driving in DC, an offense that carries up to 180 days for a first or second conviction.
-
25. You are parked legally, but a police officer tells you to move the vehicle. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Move it as directed, because an officer overrides the signs
Directions from a police officer or a firefighter take precedence over signs and markings, whether they are directing traffic or clearing a street.